How to Redo an Old Rolltop Desk

Strip the paint or finish from the desk with an alcohol or lacquer paint thinner and clean rags. If you don’t want to strip the whole desk, focus on just the top portion, especially if that is all that is visible in your room -- cover the portion you don't want to strip with painters tape and plastic. For a more modern look, paint the desk a bright, vibrant color with a slight sheen. For a more antique look, choose a natural wood color stain instead. In some cases, you may be able to paint directly over the finish on the desk by using specialty paint.

Repaint or stain the desk after stripping it. For a more modern look, paint the desk a bright, vibrant color with a slight sheen. For a more antique look, choose a natural wood color stain instead.

Replace the legs on the desk with more contemporary ones. Polished steel or chrome legs can help an old rolltop desk fit into a more modern room. If you already have one particular type of metal in the room, brushed steel or polished chrome, for example, stick with the type you already have for the new legs to give the room a cohesive look.

Add a painted or stenciled pattern onto large portions of the desk to give it new life. A painted or stenciled pattern, like a fleur de lis, can be easily applied to rolltop desks that are made of large portions of uncut wood. To do this, you may need specialty paint that can be applied directly over the current finish on your desk. If you feel uncomfortable painting or stenciling a pattern onto your desk, consider hiring a professional painter or faux finisher.

Have a glass or stone top cut to fit the top of the desk. A glass top will give the desk a slightly more contemporary feel and help to open up the room and visual space around it. Using a stone top will add extra depth to the desk and help to break up visual patterns, though if you have a very small room or large desk, using a stone top can accentuate both, and should be avoided in some cases.